Rescue equipment like breathing apparatus, reviving apparatus etc. are statutorily required to be maintained in the rescue stations and the rescue rooms. These equipment needs to undergo periodic testing at intervals of one month or at shorter intervals as may be mentioned by the manufacturers in accordance with Schedule IV of the Mines Rescue Rules, 1985 or its revised versions.

Records of such testing(s) are to be maintained in the rescue stations and rescue rooms.

As required under Rule 12 (2) (a) of the above rules, the Superintendent shall ensure that such equipment and apparatus are maintained in perfect working order.

Also Rule 13 of the above rules requires the Instructors to make inspections, tests and adjustments of the equipment and apparatus under the direction of the Superintendent and maintain records thereof.

No. DGMS Circular (Tech.) No.03

Subject: Safety features to be incorporated and maintained in crawler/tyre mounted machineries deployed in mines.

A serious accident took place in an open-cast mine, in which a dozer moved forward while the dozer operator, standing on track pad, started the dozer directly by short-circuiting the self-starter, keeping the machine in gear. The dozer operator fell between the dozer blade and the track pad and was run over by the track-pad inflicting serious injuries to both his legs and right hand leading to amputation of both the legs below knee.

A study was conducted after the accident in open cast mine, the investigation revealed the following:

Neutral Switch electrical interlock with gear, which prevents starting of machineries if in geared position, was either not found in order or not provided in 90% of the machineries.

Hydraulic safety valve interlock, which prevents movement of the machineries even if its engine starts in geared position; the machineries will move only when the gear is brought to neutral position and then gear lever is shifted to engaged position. This safety feature was either not found in order or not provided in 35% of the machineries.

Self-starter protection guard, which prevents short-circuiting the terminals of self starter motor, was either not found in order or missing in 89% of machineries.

During the period from 2012 to 2015, about 45% fatal accidents and 22% serious accidents took place due to machineries in coal mines. The same figures in non-coal mines were about 30% and 38% respectively.

The above findings of the investigation/examination highlight the need to take appropriate action in ensuring proper functioning safety devices provided in machineries for the greater benefit of persons employed in mines and machineries deployed therein.

So it is necessary to maintain all required safety features in crawler/tyre mounted machineries deployed in the mines, impart adequate training to all related work persons and improve safe work culture.

No. DGMS Circular (Tech.) No.04

Subject: Cylinders to be used in breathing apparatus used in mines

Oxygen or compressed air cylinders are integral parts of all breathing apparatus(es).

For use in Indian mines closed circuit and open circuit breathing apparatuses are accorded approval by Directorate General of Mines Safety subject to conformation of the apparatus as per standards specified in IS 10245-1 and IS 10245-2 respectively of the Bureau of Indian Standards, among other conditions.

It is specified in the above standards that cylinders and valves fitted with the breathing apparatus shall comply with the provisions of the Gas Cylinder Rules, 1981 (presently Gas Cylinder Rules, 2004)

In the Approval Policy, it is stipulated that no change shall be made to the equipment which had been tested for grant of approval unless specifically approved and this is also applicable in case of cylinders used in breathing apparatus(es). In the recent years, different types of gas cylinders are available which are compatible with the breathing apparatus(es).

To facilitate use of cylinder other than the ones fitted with the apparatus tested at prescribed test house for obtaining DGMS approval, the following conditions have been laid down which shall also be applicable to the cylinder currently in use:

All cylinders used with the breathing apparatus shall be approved by the Chief Controller of Explosives, PESO under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2004.

The valves fitted with the cylinders shall comply with the requirements of IS 7302 of the Bureau of Indian Standards as amended from time to time.

The colour of the cylinders shall be as specified in IS 3933 of the Bureau of Indian Standards as amended from time to time.

A certificate regarding the compatibility of the cylinder for use with the breathing apparatus shall be issued by the manufacturer to the user(s).

The stipulations made in the DGMS Circular No. 8 of 1974 regarding the material of the cylinder, shall be applicable.

No. DGMS Circular (Tech.) No.05

Integrated approach for development of Safety Management Plan for coal and metalliferous mines

The ninth and tenth Conference on Safety in mines recommended adopting Risk Assessment as a tool for development of appropriate health & safety management systems in Indian mines.

The eleventh Conference further recommended that the managements of every mining company should adopt the process of safety management system and commit itself for proper formulation and implementation of the same in totality.

Drawing inputs from inferences drawn from several workshops on "Risk Assessment" in Indian mines conducted by DGMS, a document on "Safety Management System - A guideline for implementation" was prepared and circulated as DGMS(Tech)(S&T) Circular No. 13 of 2002. Another guideline in this regard titled "Safety Management System-Provision for auditing and review" was issued by DGMS as DGMS (Tech)(S&T) Circular No. 02 of 2011.

Successful implementation of Safety Management System in Mines would warrant sorting out perception issues among ail stakeholders, and the success may depend on among others, adoption of an integrated approach.